Houston (USA), Mar 21 (EFE) .- The NCAA men’s college basketball tournament completed the first round with the triumph and classification of the four seeded teams, eight surprise results and the first game suspended under Covid-19 protocols.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs, the team that entered the tournament undefeated, had no problems in the West region to beat the Norfolk State Spartans by 98-55, with forward Corey Kipert, leading who contributed 23 points, 5 rebounds and two assists.
Now, their rivals in the second round will be the Oklahoma City Sooners who beat the Missouri Tigers 72-68.
The surprise in the West came from the Ohio Bobcats, who entered the tournament as number 13 and beat the Virginia Cavaliers, who were fourth, 62-58.
While the game that the Oregon Ducks (7) should have played against the VCU Rams (10) was declared non-competitive due to Covid-19 protocols and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee announced that the best-seeded team progressed to the round of 32.
The Ducks will have as their next rival the Iowa Hawkeyes who defeated the Grand Canyon Antelopes 86-74.
VCU coach Mike Rhoades confirmed to reporters that his team had had “multiple positive tests for Covid-19 in the past two days.”
The Michigan Wolverines, seeded number one in the East region, also had no problems getting through the first round by beating the Texas Sourthern Tigers 82-66, after they received the support of point guard Mike Smith, who scored 18 points. , five assists and four rebounds.
The LSU Tigers, who also beat the Bonnies of St. Bonaventure 76-61, will be tough rivals for the Wolverines, coached by former NBA player Juwan Howard, in the second round.
Within the same table there were three of the eight surprises registered in the first round after the UCLA Bruins, who had reached the main draw by winning the ‘First Four’ game 86-80, in overtime, against the Spartans Michigan State beat the BYU Cougars 73-62.
Then followed the biggest surprise of the day on Saturday with the victory of the 14th-seeded Abilene Christian Wildcats 53-52 against the Texas Longhorns, who were third.
The Wildcats will face the Bruins in the second round in the surprise team duel.
While the Maryland Terrapins (10) clearly defeated the Connecticut Huskies (7) 63-54 to complete the third surprise that occurred in the East region, and their rivals in the second round will be the Crimson Tide of Alabama they defeated the Iona Gaels 68-55, led by Rick Pitino.
Within the South region, the Baylor Bears fulfilled their predictions as the favorite team and number one seeded team by easily beating the Hortford Hawks 79-55, thanks to the support of guard Macio Teague who had 22 points and four rebounds.
Their rivals in the second round will be the Wisconsin Badgers (9) who defeated the historic North Carolina Tar Heels (8) 85-62, who reached the highest-seeded game, but never had a chance to win on the field.
Another surprise was the victory of the Mean Green of North Texas (13) who beat the fourth-seeded Purdue Boilermakers in overtime 78-69.
But the biggest was going to star Oral Roberts’ Golden Eagles (15) who won, in overtime, 75-72, the Ohio State Buckeyes, who were seeded number two.
The Midwest region left the clear victory of the first seed, the Fighting Illini of Illinois, who beat the Drexel Dragons 78-49.
Their rivals in the round of 32 will be the Loyola Chicago Ramblers who defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 71-60 after having the support of point guard Lucas Williamson, who contributed 21 points, six rebounds and four assists.
The Ramblers’ triumph made the nun Sister Jean Schmidt happy, their chaplain and biggest supporter, who at the age of 101 witnessed the game on the field, arriving in a wheelchair.
Sister Jean became an icon during the 2018 Final Four, but she had not attended a match in person since the coronavirus pandemic began last year.
She was recently vaccinated, but has continued to stay away from the team, offering pre-match prayer at the Jesuit Academic Center virtually all season and throughout the tournament.
Also the Oregon State Beavers (12) surprised the Tennessee Volunteers (5) 70-56, while the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (10) beat the Clemson Tigers 60-56 and in the second round they will have rivals to the Houston Cougars (2) who overwhelmed the Cleveland State Vikings (15) 87-56.
The second round matches, which will define the ‘Sweet 16’, will be played this Sunday and Monday, in Indianapolis.
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